Pet health experts, The Animal Zone, have teamed up with Easton Property to launch a new retail concept providing a range of natural and raw pet foods, pet supplements, and healthy pet treats to pet-owners.

The Animal Zone, founded by Shirley Aitken, is on a mission to ensure that the health and well-being of our furry friends comes first, and the business has leased 2,000 square feet of newly refurbished retail space from Easton Group to ensure it achieves its goal. The property is well located within the pedestrianised area of Dockhead Street in Saltcoats town centre. Saltcoats is located on the Ayrshire coast, and is a popular seaside town that regularly attracts tourists, visitors, and day-trippers from across the region.

The building is owned by Easton Property who made a significant investment to substantially refurbish the building including re-roofing the property. Easton Property is a division of the Easton Group – a family-owned property and investment business with a portfolio located throughout Scotland. Easton Group was established in 1974 and has almost 50 years’ experience investing in communities.

“It is brilliant to see The Animal Zone occupying such a prominent space in Saltcoats town centre, and providing a valuable service to pet owners.

As a landlord we take the view that we must invest in our shops if we are to create thriving high streets, and we must allow new businesses to start-up and trade by giving them opportunities. The investment we made refurbishing this unit is now delivering dividends for all stakeholders, and most importantly to the local residents, visitors, and shoppers.

This letting is great for Dockhead Street, and will give Saltcoats town centre a huge boost. We wish Shirley Aitken and everyone at The Animal Zone a great future at their new premises.”

Ayrshire Credit Union has leased space from Easton Property in Kilmarnock town centre. The deal secures the credit union’s future following its relocation from East Ayrshire Council owned premises at The Foregate. The 1,300 sq ft shop is well located within the pedestrianised area of King Street, and was leased for ten years on FRI terms.

Ayrshire Credit Union was established in 1994 as a financial cooperative that is owned and controlled by its members, and offers financial services operating on the principle of a common bond. The relocation has allowed Ayrshire Credit Union to invest in its services and continue to provide them locally in Kilmarnock. It is primarily run by volunteers including a volunteer Board of Directors.

Easton Property is a division of the Easton Group – a family-owned property and investment business with a portfolio located throughout Scotland. Easton Group was established in 1974 and has almost 50 years’ experience investing in communities.

“We are delighted to announce this deal with Ayrshire Credit Union and welcome them into our portfolio.

At Easton Group we are committed to regenerating our high streets and creating thriving town centres by encouraging vibrant local businesses and organisations to operate there. We offer good quality commercial space on reasonable terms, and maintain a flexible approach that promotes supportive landlord-tenant relationships.

This letting is a great boost for King Street, and a vote of confidence in Kilmarnock town centre. We wish Ayrshire Credit Union, their staff and clients a great future at their new premises.”

Green Home Systems has been appointed to Lots 2 and 3 within the framework that includes fabric insulation measures, renewable heating, and ventilation. Founded in 2014, Green Home Systems specialise in domestic energy efficiency projects such as thermal insulation, smart heating systems, renewables, and electric vehicle charging points. The company has completed more than 10,000 energy efficiency projects to date that have prevented more than 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere.

Scotland Excel is a non-profit organization providing procurement expertise to 32 local authorities and over 100 associate members from across the public and third sector. Their second-generation energy efficiency contractors’ framework will provide an effective and efficient way to upgrade housing and offers the capability to source whole-house retrofitting. The framework is in place for four years from 1^st February 2022 and is valued at £200M per year.

The Scottish Government has set a target of achieving net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2045. With buildings accounting for about one fifth of emissions, and fuel poverty affecting an increasing number of households, addressing domestic energy efficiency is a top government priority. The Scottish Government has already imposed strict energy efficiency targets on social and private landlords, and is expected to extend these to owner-occupiers soon.

Green Home Systems was founded by Easton Group directors, Peter Easton and Steven Easton, who now provide strategic guidance and oversight as non-executive directors and board members. The business is operated by an independent senior management team led by Managing Director, Alastair Macphie, and Operations Director, Steven Porch, who have the ambition and remit to deliver continued high growth for the business in the green economy.

“Being appointed to this framework is a terrific opportunity for Green Home Systems and highlights our commitment to a more sustainable and greener Scotland. It allows us to increase our investment in our staff and help them to further develop their skills in our industry.

This contract will underpin our company’s growth strategy, and we are extremely excited to take the next step forward in our business plan. We cannot wait to help more customers create energy efficient homes through Scotland Excel.”

“We are very proud to be able to work alongside Scotland Excel and its members to deliver energy efficiency measures to homes throughout the country. Fuel poverty and climate change go hand-in-hand and by investing in domestic energy efficiency both issues can be tackled at once, and this framework provides an effective and robust delivery model for social landlords to achieve their net zero targets.

Congratulations to Steven Porch and his team for a great effort in securing this tender. This result builds on our prior successes and will drive our business forward into new markets.”

The space launch will take place on 22/2/22 in partnership with experts, ‘Sent Into Space’, when a bespoke time capsule, containing a piece of the original Hospice, will be blasted 50km above the earth’s atmosphere. Upon its return to earth, the time capsule will be placed within a sculpture at the heart of the redeveloped Hospice. During the flight, the capsule will be filmed making its way to the curvature of the earth, followed by its safe return, with Easton Group onboard as Corporate Pioneers.

The Ayrshire Hospice was originally founded in 1983 and the facility is in urgent need of redevelopment to ensure that it can continue to provide care to people with life limiting illnesses, across the whole of Ayrshire, for many years to come.

At the heart of the £13 million redevelopment, will be a brand-new In-Patient Unit which will contain 18 single, en-suite rooms with private patio, enabling bed access outside. Each room will have space for loved ones to visit and stay overnight. Another bed can be hooked onto the patient bed to allow loved ones to sleep beside the patient, and the rooms have been designed to create more natural light and the patio can be used in all weathers, anytime of year. There will also be two patient and family respite rooms, a seamless linking corridor to the Day Services wing, clinical and community nursing hubs, a contemplation space, as well as a dedicated playroom for children and a separate teen space for young people who are visiting their family at the Hospice.

As a Corporate Pioneers, Easton Group are supporting the public phase of the capital campaign which seeks to raise £250,000 from a 4-day Crowdfunder, over 84 hours between 18^th and 21^st February, with the space launch taking place the next day.

“As an Ayrshire-based family business, Easton Group is proud to support this worthy project. Many of our staff, clients, partners, and their families, have benefitted from the important services the Hospice provides, and this capital build project will safeguard the future of palliative care for the whole of Ayrshire and Arran for many years to come.”

Tracing its roots back to 1974 when Chairman, Kenny Easton, first started in business, the Easton Group’s vision is to create thriving communities through the successful implementation of its portfolio, which includes over 350 residential and commercial properties, and a collection of private equity investments in successful trading businesses.

The Dundonald based group has now been structured into three core areas of residential housing, commercial property, and private equity investments, which are represented by the group’s three operating divisions: Easton Housing, Easton Property, and Easton Capital.

Easton Housing is the group’s residential property division and provides affordable homes to families throughout Ayrshire. As a private housing provider, Easton Housing prioritises the welfare of its tenants by ensuring its homes are family ready, and offers long-term tenancies that creates security of tenure and allows tenants to create a safe and comfortable environment for their family home.

Easton Property is the group’s commercial property and development arm, which has commercial properties located throughout Scotland. The commercial portfolio supports a mixture of tenants including bespoke local traders, large businesses, and national retailers. Easton Property has adopted a unique entrepreneurial approach to property and has a proven track record of adding value and enhancing portfolio performance by completing challenging investment and development projects, and by actively managing its assets in partnership with its tenants.

The Easton family has been investing in businesses across Scotland since the 1980s, and Easton Capital is its newly formed private equity division that has been created to consolidate these investments and help accelerate their growth. Easton Capital’s portfolio includes investments in the green economy, healthcare, whisky production, and baby essentials.

The Easton Group has plans to grow further by expanding across all three divisions. It continues to seek opportunities in the residential and commercial property markets, and develop its private equity portfolio by providing long term capital to support high growth businesses.

“I am delighted to witness the next stage in our family business. Since I first started out in 1974, I have always sought growth business opportunities and I am proud to see the next generation taking the baton forward with determination and vigour. We have a very strong and capable team at Easton Group, and I am confident that we will continue to deliver successfully for the business, as well as our staff, clients, partners, and community, both now and in the future.”

“It is an exciting time to be involved in our business and I am very pleased to be part of an organisation that has grown so successfully across many different sectors. The strength of the Easton Group is due to the robust work ethic of our dedicated staff that, combined with entrepreneurial spark, drives our determination to always find a way to succeed.”

“The consolidation of our activities under a single Easton Group banner is a great opportunity to supercharge our business. We have a very ambitious growth strategy mapped out and plan to drive expansion across all three of our operating divisions to become one of Scotland’s leading family businesses. I would like to thank all our staff and partners who have assisted in our success to date and who encourage our future plans.”

The name, “Height of Arrows”, comes from the Gaelic for a local Edinburgh hill and landmark. Selected by industry expects, the stripped back gin impressed with its purity and simplicity.

Holyrood Distillery is a modern distillery spanning twelve thousand square feet in the heart of Scotland’s capital city that produces an exceptionally flavoured single malt whisky alongside its award-winning gin.

In 2018 Holyrood Distillery completed a £5.8M equity fundraise to drive the creation of its new distillery, and in 2019 Holyrood began distilling the first single malt whisky in Edinburgh in almost 100 years.

“Juniper takes centre stage in this minimalist gin from Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh. The sole botanical is distilled with salt and beeswax for a full-bodied spirit with great depth and complexity. An exciting direction for gin.”

“I am delighted that Height of Arrows has been named Whisky Exchange’s Gin of the Year. To have Holyrood’s gin thinking acknowledged in this way by folk that we have great respect for has really empowered my young distilling team and this really is Christmas come early. Our heartfelt thanks to Dawn Davies and the team at Whisky Exchange.

In Height of Arrows, we have made a gin that is distilled from our DNA as whisky makers. In whisky making we work with simplicity. Barley, water and yeast. We’ve taken this same mind set to Height of Arrows and created a complex gin born from juniper alone taking centre stage. Our hope is that gin fans will be thrilled to explore a new direction in modern gin; one that elevates today’s gin drinking experience.”

The ceremony returned great success for Green Home Systems as they were presented with three direct awards and one partnering award for projects completed in association with the private rented housing sector.

Green Home Systems was named Boiler & Heating Installer of the Year, and in addition to their big win, the company was Highly Commended in the Insulation & Fabric Installer of the Year category. Green Home Systems staff member, Audrey Hunter, received a Highly Commended award in the Energy Efficiency Champion category, and in the final award they received a Commendation in Housing Association/Landlord of the Year.

“The awards night was a great success for the company, and I am extremely happy with the outcome. Receiving these Energy Efficiency Awards is a testament to how much hard work and effort all our team at Green Home Systems has put in over the past year. Alongside the other accolades, winning Boiler and Heating Installer of the Year is a fantastic achievement and we will display our awards proudly.”

Genus Communications was formed in 2015 by Tommy Nevin to develop telecommunication franchise opportunities including EE mobile and BT Business, and they operate across the west of Scotland.

Easton Property has over 100 commercial properties throughout Scotland. It is a division of the Easton Group – a family-owned property and investment business with 50 years’ experience of investing in our communities.

“This gives us the best opportunity to ensure our customers in Ayrshire stay connected and allows us to showcase the vast array of propositions we have on offer. We are absolutely delighted to invest in Kilmarnock town centre and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this stunning store.”

“We always consider our commercial lettings to be a partnership between landlord and tenant, and are thrilled to support Tommy and Greg with this new letting. After a very challenging period for the retail market, Kilmarnock town centre is now showing great signs of improvement. This deal demonstrates the commitment of both Genus Communications and Easton Property to improving our town centres by creating great shopping experiences and new jobs. We wish Genus the very best and look forward to continue working with them in the future.”

Alastair became Finance Director of Green Home Systems in August 2020 working alongside former Managing Director and Co-founder, Steven Easton, who will remain part of Green Home Systems as Chairman and Board member. Alastair has over 20 years’ experience in senior positions and assumes the role of Managing Director effective 1st July 2021 to lead the company’s ambitious growth plans in the green economy.

Steven Porch joined Green Home Systems in October 2020 having previously held senior positions with national property contractors and will support Alastair by providing a key leadership function at a time when the company is evolving its service offerings and expanding its geographical reach. Steven Porch replaced Co-founder, Peter Easton, who will continue to provide entrepreneurial leadership as a Board member.

The Ayrshire based company also recently welcomed Graeme Kerr as Sales Director who joined Green Home Systems from a national trade specialist merchant where he held business development roles and will help to drive the company’s development and expansion into new markets.

Green Home Systems was founded in 2014 by Easton Group directors, Peter Easton and Steven Easton, and in 2020 a 50% stake was sold to Circularity Capital, a private equity company that specialises in the circular economy. The business is now jointly owned by Circularity Capital and Easton Capital, and operated by an independent senior management team with ambitions for continued growth in the green economy.

“I am delighted to take on the role of Managing Director at Green Home Systems. I’d like to thank Steven and Peter for their support and guidance, and I look forward to continuing to work with them as a member of the board.
It’s an exciting time to be involved in this industry, with the opportunity to move into new products and markets and to contribute towards the UK’s ultimate net zero emissions target. Recent appointments have added to an already strong team, and we have a great foundation on which to continue the expansion of the business. Our ambition is to become a leading provider of energy efficiency services.”

“It really is a wonderful thing for me to witness the next stage of Green Home Systems’ development. When Peter and I conceived the idea of starting an energy efficiency business we had a clear desire to build a company of real scale and value that could provide outstanding levels of service to its customers, and the leadership that has been embedded with the appointment of this senior management team will ensure that our original ambition will continue to be met. I would like to congratulate Alastair on his appointment, and I wish him and Steven Porch all the very best in their new roles. Both Peter and I remain committed to Green Home Systems and will continue to support the strategic aims of the business as dedicated Board members.”